Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney coaches against Alabama during the 2nd half of the College Football National Championship at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA Monday, January 7, 2019.(Photo: BART BOATWRIGHT/Staff)

Clemson’s rise to the 2016 national championship was a breakthrough. It returned Clemson to the college football pinnacle for the first time in 35 years. It elevated Clemson into the elite echelon of college football programs. It vaulted Dabo Swinney into an elite class of coaches.

Clemson rewarded Swinney with a $1.4 million bonus for that national title run. The championship Clemson captured Monday night is not as radical. Thus, the reward is not as astronomical.

Swinney earned a $250,000 bonus for defeating Alabama in Santa Clara, California. Swinney earned a total of $875,000 in performance incentive bonuses this season, excluding his reward for his players’ academic achievements.

Swinney earned $50,000 for winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division and $150,000 for winning the ACC Championship Game. He added $200,000 for earning a berth to the Playoff and another $25,000 for winning the ACC Coach of the Year honor.

The victory against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic semifinal awarded Swinney another $200,000.

Swinney earned $375,000 more in on-field performance incentives than he did last year, when he directed Clemson to the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal before losing to Alabama.

Winning two national championships in three years, Swinney accumulated nearly $2.9 million from on-field incentives. That total alone would rank Swinney 45th among the 123 Division I bowl subdivision coaches included in the USA TODAY Sports compilation of coaches salaries.

According to a copy of Swinney’s contract, Clemson paid Swinney $6.2 million in total compensation this season, which ranks him seventh in the USA TODAY Sports compilation.

Swinney is in the second season of the eight-year contract he signed in August 2017. If he remains the head coach at Clemson through March 1, Swinney will earn a $1 million retention bonus.

As a sign of mutual devotion and trust, Clemson and Swinney agreed to exorbitant buyout clauses. In the highly unlikely event that Clemson would fire Swinney in this academic year, Clemson would owe Swinney a $35 million buyout. Conversely, if Swinney departs Clemson this year, he would owe the university $6 million.

Championship poster

To celebrate Clemson's glorious football season that culminated in the National Championship win over Alabama, you can order our commemorative front pages at www.greenvilleonline.com/clemsonposter.